


Nirvana on Fire

by ShiroRikiya



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Kinda?, M/M, Painter!Akashi, Smut, Soldier!Kuroko, akashi laughs a lot in here, bcs he's happy, haha - Freeform, happy akashi!, idk - Freeform, idk man i write this in one go idk what im doing lmao, isn't that rare, probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-23 23:20:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20348488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShiroRikiya/pseuds/ShiroRikiya
Summary: A ray of light lands on the stranger’s lips and Tetsuya finds himself smiling back.





	Nirvana on Fire

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in one go when I couldn't sleep. idk man. i hope u guys enjoy this anyway XD
> 
> edited mistakes and such: august 27 2019

It was boredom.

The reason they met was mainly because of boredom. For the past few weeks, there had been no missions popping up or terrorists that wanted to blow up the world or any life-threatening situations that needed the intervention of Tetsuya’s organization. 

Kuroko Tetsuya, twenty-six, was part of a top-secret anti-terrorist organization that exists solely to, well; prevent terrorists from blowing up the world or stop any dastardly plans that will threaten any civilian lives. When he had first joined he had been told that their lives would be hectic, constantly living in the midst of danger and any downtime they have was guaranteed to be short-lived. And for the most part, it was true. His life consisted of being deployed to a mission that lasted from weeks to months to god knows where and then return to base when it is finished and have a few days of rest until the same routine starts again. But for the past few weeks, there had been nothing. It was almost close to a month and not one of them has been sent to any kind of mission. His fellow operators have taken advantage of the opportunity and had used the time to relax while others did more training. Either way, the consensus reaction was that everyone is thankful for the downtime that they’ve been given. 

Tetsuya had also thought the same at first. The first week he had slept in as much as he can and just lazed around the base, happy that there was no new mission that he had to prepare for or anything. The second week he decided to pick up his training again since training and maintaining his skills were his ticket to staying alive. It was literally his job to keep his body in peak condition. By the third week, he had been so painfully bored. No amount of training or punching bags or lifting could relieve his boredom. Even Kise had given up training with him. And so with a whimsical mind, he had decided to visit the public library.

To be honest it was…a little weird to be out in public in normal civilian clothes when he wasn’t being dragged by his friends to the pub or other stupid things they wanted to do. And it had been years since the last time that he had even come close to the vicinity of a library that for a few moments he had to just stand in front of the building and take in the view. 

He steps inside later with no clear goal other than he was bored and that maybe picking up a book would help. He remembers that he used to love reading books as a high school student but had stopped because of the hectic life that he led after enlisting in the army. 

He walks aimlessly, passing through bookshelves after bookshelves, eyes glossing over titles while hoping that maybe one would catch his attention. At the very back of the library, where it was mostly quiet and almost no one was around, Tetsuya sees a familiar book, his chest filling with the sweet ache of nostalgia. 

It was The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. 

A book that he had read when he was in high school. Read during boring lectures as he relied on his low presence to not be noticed by his professors. Afternoons spent with his nose buried in the book, completely enthralled by the story, his young and tender heart completely going out for the main character. 

It was his favourite book, Tetsuya thinks. He remembers his copy of the book, well-loved and worn out. He had almost memorized it word for word until a fire had destroyed his beloved book along with his family. 

With a wistful smile, he reaches out for it, noticing too late that someone else was also reaching for the book. 

Tetsuya jolts, startled that he had not noticed that someone was near him. He turns to his side, something akin to panic bubbling in his chest. He can’t afford to have his awareness dulled down. He lets it and he will die. 

_Pull yourself together Kuroko Tetsuya!_

“You can have it,” Tetsuya looks at the stranger and is met ruby red eyes and for a few seconds, he is rendered speechless. 

It’s corny, he’s not gonna lie but he had been so captivated with the stranger’s easy smile that he had stared for a few seconds without saying anything. There was something about him, something that tugged on the edges of Tetsuya’s consciousness. 

“Hello? Are you okay?” Tetsuya blinks. 

“Yes, sorry. I’m fine.” 

“You can have it,” the stranger says again. 

“Have what?” 

“The book.” 

Tetsuya looks back at the book as if he’s seeing it for the first time as if he’s waking from a dream. “Oh no, you can have it. I’ve already read it before,” Tetsuya says as he takes the book from the shelf and hands it to the stranger. 

The stranger smiles again and shakes his head, light from the window landing on the stranger’s bright red locks and it holds Tetsuya’s attention for a good while. 

“No, it’s yours. You look like you really want to read it,” the stranger says, pushing the book gently back towards Tetsuya. 

“I do?”

“Yes.” 

A ray of light lands on the stranger’s lips and Tetsuya finds himself smiling back. 

Akashi Seijuurou. 

That was the stranger’s name. And instead of leaving or making up some kind of bullshit excuse, Tetsuya stays instead and strikes up a conversation with Akashi Seijuurou. 

Akashi Seijuurou asks about the book and Tetsuya answers. They talk about books and more books and an hour turns into two and then turns into five and yet Tetsuya barely notices. He only notices when Akashi Seijuurou distractedly looks up at the giant clock of the library and says something about how he has to go because of some errands he has to do. Akashi Seijuurou gathers his things and says goodbye, a little bit of disappointment and sadness swirling in the pit of Tetsuya’s stomach. 

So he follows him. Tetsuya follows Akashi Seijuurou outside the library, unsure of what he’s doing but he’s still doing it anyway. Akashi Seijuurou looks back at him as they’re going down the steps of the library and there’s a smile again on his lips, this time a little bit teasing. 

At the end of the stairs they stop, Akashi Seijuurou still smiling at him and Tetsuya just standing there awkwardly, the book held in his hand and unable to look away from the redhead. 

“May I know your name?” Akashi Seijuurou asks, voice warm and welcoming in contrast to the chilly weather outside. 

Tetsuya blinks, recalling that not once has he told Akashi Seijuurou his name. They had spent more than five hours talking with each other and he had never introduced himself. And so he opens his mouth, about to blurt out his name when something jerks inside him and his brain changes course. 

“I’m Haru. Kagami Haru,” the lie falls easily from his lips, his mind buzzing with protocol and some half-remembered words from his friends. 

“Nice to meet you, Kagami Haru,” Akashi Seijuurou says, a smile still on his lips. “Would you…would you like to go out sometime?” 

Tetsuya catches the way Akashi Seijuurou’s smile shrinks a bit, his fingers playing with the strap of his bag and his heart definitely doesn’t flutter with how adorable Akashi Seijuurou looked when he was nervous and so he nods. Right away. Without thinking. 

They exchanged phone numbers right outside the library, cold wind blowing past them and people walking by but Tetsuya couldn’t be bothered to care as he saves a new number in his contacts. 

_Akashi Seijuurou_

Later on after they’ve part ways, Tetsuya is walking by a bridge, a book held in his hand and mind filled with ruby red eyes and bright red locks catching fire under daylight. An easy and friendly smile, so free, so genuine. 

It is then he realizes that he wasn’t bored anymore. 

One date turns into two, then four, then five, then seven and then ten and okay, at this point maybe it’s safe to say that they’re dating. Or are they? He’s not sure. He’s not really knowledgeable about dating. He doesn’t have much experience in this field. A busy military life doesn’t really give much space for romantic stuff and there’s really no one who’s willing to put up with a relationship where they can only see their lover a handful of times in a year. He’s had flings before but Tetsuya finds out later that it was too much of a hassle so he quits it after a while. So yes, he’s unsure if they’re dating or not. 

He looks at Seijuurou and admires the way the afternoon light slides over his cheek and onto his lips as he talks passionately about a book he recently just read and Tetsuya knows that they are as sweet as they look. 

Seijuurou, twenty-five, is an artist. He loves books and playing the violin. He is addicted to vanilla milkshake and Tetsuya is not ashamed to say that Seijuurou has infected him with the obsession over said drink. And he’s probably the biggest nerd that Tetsuya has ever met in his life. He loves Star Wars and will absolutely drop everything for The Lord of the Rings. Tetsuya has spent countless of times over at Seijuurou’s place, the two of them cuddling on his comfy sofa as they marathon movies all night long. 

He snaps out of his thoughts and he sees Seijuurou staring at him, a fond look in his eye and Tetsuya thinks of that sketch pad bound in leather that Seijuurou always carries around, thinks of that time when he saw his own self on the ivory pages drawn with so much detail and care. 

“Are we dating?” 

Seijuurou smiles and rests his hand on the table, palm facing up as if he’s waiting for something. “Do you want to?”

Tetsuya looks down on Seijuurou’s hand, on the calluses on the tip of his fingers from playing the violin. He thinks of the time when he’d spend time in Seijuurou’s apartment as the other painted and he’s sitting on a stool and watch him paint. Or when he’d play the violin and Tetsuya is allowed to listen. Sometimes sad and sometimes happy. He thinks of the times when Seijuurou’s painting and he’s in his own world and Tetsuya wishes that he could draw so he could capture Seijuurou at that moment, so utterly perfect and beautiful. Sometimes, he thinks of buying a camera just for those times. He thinks of when Seijuurou plays a happy piece and then gives him a hug after, smelling like vanilla and sunshine. He thinks of when Seijuurou plays a sad piece and Tetsuya would see a chasm of sadness opening up inside Seijuurou and all he could do is hug him from behind, hoping that somehow he could keep Seijuurou from falling in. Thinks of how Seijuurou would turn and then kiss him, gratitude on his lips and Tetsuya would close his eyes and see his own self growing old with Seijuurou. 

“Yes. I would love to,” Tetsuya answers as he lays his own hand on top of Seijuurou’s.

Seijuurou laces their hands together and Tetsuya feels his cheeks hurting from how much he’s smiling. But he couldn’t care less. 

But the happy feeling doesn’t last long as he remembers that for Seijuurou he is Kagami Haru who owns a bakery with his friend. Someone who has recently moved into the city. Someone who bakes cakes and bread and not someone who kills and defuses bombs for a living. 

But he wants Seijuurou to call him by his name. To hear his own name from Seijuurou’s lips as he wakes Tetsuya up when he falls asleep during their movie marathon. He wants to hear how Seijuurou would say his name. 

“My real name is Kuroko Tetsuya.” 

Seijuurou, in the middle of taking off his coat, stops and looks towards Tetsuya. Their eyes meet and instead of confusion or anger, Tetsuya only sees calmness, as if he’s been waiting for it. Seijuurou takes off his coat and walks towards Tetsuya. 

“Thank you for telling me,” Seijuurou says as he kisses Tetsuya on the lips. 

And Tetsuya is a little bit confused. 

“You’re not upset?” 

Seijuurou chuckles a little, amusement in his eyes. 

“No. I noticed a while ago.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be.”

“I wasn’t sure if I could tell you and—“

“It’s okay.”

“But—“

“I love you, Kuroko Tetsuya.” 

The words send fire down Tetsuya’s spine and he’s kissing Seijuurou desperately, longingly. 

He’s on his back on top of Seijuurou’s bed, shirt discarded somewhere and his heart hammering inside his chest. Seijuurou is on top of him, eyes dark with arousal as he bites a mark on Tetsuya’s neck, aching sweetly. 

“Are you sure of this? Do you really want to?” Seijuurou whispers, voice hoarse with need. 

Tetsuya buries his hands in Seijuurou’s hair as he pulls him down for a desperate kiss. 

“Yes. Please, take me. Make me yours,” Seijuurou groans, hot breath fanning over Tetsuya’s tender neck. 

Tetsuya mind melts as he is consumed by Seijuurou’s lust and the next thing he knows, Seijuurou’s fingers are inside him, drawing out desperate moans from his lips as Seijuurou’s other hand strokes his length, warm and unforgiving. 

Tetsuya holds on to Seijuurou’s shoulder, hungry ruby eyes staring him down like a predator and god does he want to be eaten.

“Se-Seijuurou. Please. I need you. Please, please,” Tetsuya whispers like a prayer, his whole being craving for the hot and heavy length he feels resting by his thigh. 

“I love you, Tetsuya,” Seijuurou whispers to his ear as he thrusts in and Tetsuya sobs from the pleasure, his vision turning white. 

Seijuurou picks up his pace and Tetsuya is left a moaning mess, unable to do anything but to hold on to Seijuurou and take everything that Seijuurou gives him. Seijuurou pounds into him almost mercilessly, kisses and bites peppering his neck and jaw and then Seijuurou hits his spot and Tetsuya mewls, tightening around Seijuurou. 

“Tetsuya, Tetsuya, Tetsuya,” Seijuurou moans to his ear, his hips growing erratic and Tetsuya feels Seijuurou’s hand wrap around his cock, pumping it up and down. 

Tetsuya cums a few seconds later, nails dragging down Seijuurou’s back and a load filthy moan escaping from his lips. 

“I love you, Seijuurou,” Tetsuya whispers to Seijuurou as he cums, warmth spilling inside him. 

Seijuurou collapses on top of him and Tetsuya wraps his arms around him, their bodies covered in sweat and hearts racing. Tetsuya likes Seijuurou’s weight on top of him. It feels comfortable, like home. 

Later, after they’ve calmed down and Seijuurou has cleaned the both of them, Tetsuya talks. He tells Seijuurou of what he can tell him. Says the things that he can say to Seijuurou without putting his life in danger. Tries his best to put into words how he has to be careful not to say too much to Seijuurou or else he will be in danger. 

And he can’t have that. He can’t have Seijuurou in danger. If Seijuurou got hurt because of him, Tetsuya will break. And he knows it. Except that he can’t put this certain thought into words but Tetsuya thinks that he doesn’t really have to because he has the feeling that Seijuurou understands without him saying a word. 

“What if it turned out that I was a bad guy? That I was part of a mafia or a terrorist group?” Tetsuya asks his head on top of Seijuurou’s chest, listening to his heartbeat. 

“Then I would ask if you guys are recruiting,” Seijuurou answers without hesitation, his hand on Tetsuya’s back and his lips pressed on Tetsuya’s forehead. 

Tetsuya laughs and he looks up to see Seijuurou’s face bathed in moonlight and he thinks again of buying a camera.

The next day he opens his eyes to sunlight kissing Seijuurou’s chest and allows himself to stay there for as long as he can, listening to the steady beat of Seijuurou’s heart and only moves when Seijuurou finally wakes up. 

They eat breakfast and share kisses over freshly made pancakes smothered with syrup and strawberries and blueberries. It’s sweet, so sweet but Tetsuya thinks that the view of Seijuurou making pancakes with a blue apron was sweeter still. 

Kise calls later at 10 A.M. telling him that they just got assigned a new mission. They leave at 3 P.M. and Tetsuya couldn’t help but sigh. 

Seijuurou kisses him on the forehead as he’s putting on his coat; he couldn’t help but pout about the shitty timing of terrorists. Seijuurou chuckles and kisses the pout away, his arms keeping Tetsuya in place. 

“How long?”

“About two weeks,” Tetsuya buries his face into Seijuurou’s chest, knowing fully well that he will miss him. 

“Come back safe.”

And they kiss. 

Tetsuya finally introduces Seijuurou to his friends a week after he got back from his mission. After Seijuurou had hugged the life out of him, after Seijuurou kissed him breathless, after Seijuurou had made love to him like there was no tomorrow. 

Tetsuya introduces Kise, Kagami and Takao with their real names and regrets immediately when he sees the playful smile on Seijuurou’s lips. 

“It’s nice to finally meet all of you. I hope this is your real names or it will be really awkward if four months later you guys told me that these were fake.” 

Kise turns at Tetsuya with a disbelieving look. “Four months? Really, Tetsucchi?”

“You used Kagami? Seriously? I had hoped that you were more imaginative than that, Kuroko,” Kagami says, an unimpressed look on his face.

Tetsuya poker faces through everything and Seijuurou laughs, telling him that it was his fault.

They talk later about Seijuurou’s friends. Of Aomine Daiki and Midorima Shintarou. Seijuurou talks of how they have known each other since elementary. Of how the two had stuck with him through everything. Even when he had changed during high school and had done a lot of hurtful things. Of when he had finally broke down and faced the pain of losing his mother. Of when he had come out to his father and was immediately thrown out. Of when he was still looking for what he wanted to do with his life. They were there for everything. They were family. 

Tetsuya wonders later on if he’s part of that family yet or not. 

Kuroko Tetsuya doesn’t get jealous. 

Or that’s how he likes to think of himself. Which is utter bullshit because he is definitely jealous. Which is also stupid because he knows that Seijuurou is in love with him and only has eyes for him. 

It still doesn’t change the fact that he’s jealous though. 

They were at a park, just taking a walk and enjoying the warm weather when a woman approaches them. Apparently, they were a fan of Seijuurou and blah blah blah. What was important was the fact that the woman wasted no time and immediately started flirting with Seijuurou blatantly. Seijuurou was polite, charming and deflected all the flirting expertly but the woman would not be deterred. 

And for the first time in Tetsuya’s life, he had thought of harming an innocent civilian.

He wasn’t sorry in the slightest for having such thoughts. 

“I’m jealous.” 

Tetsuya says as they step inside Seijuurou’s apartment, which, by this point in time, might as well be his apartment too. He thinks of his almost empty drawers back at the base and the incredulous look on Kise’s face when he told the blond that he needed to go back to Seijuurou’s apartment when they were told to pack for another mission. 

“Because of that woman earlier?” Seijuurou asks, eyes twinkling in amusement. 

“…yes.”  
Tetsuya looks away. He doesn’t like this. Doesn’t like being jealous. He’s not good with this emotion. He doesn’t know how to deal with jealousy. And so he had announced that he was jealous like someone announcing the fact that they were home. 

Seijuurou takes both of his hands on his own and Seijuurou looks into his eyes, amusement gone replaced by tenderness. 

“What do you want me to do?” 

Tetsuya’s cheeks heat up because there are so many things that he wants from Seijuurou. He wants to take and take and take and take and take until he has all of Seijuurou and in return, Seijuurou can have him. But that’s so sappy and he can’t say that no matter what. 

But then he’s jealous and he doesn’t know how to deal. 

“Shower me with affection.” 

The words are out before he could think properly and his face is a flaming inferno but then Seijuurou kisses him as he drags Tetsuya to the couch and there he showers Tetsuya with affection till Tetsuya felt like he was going to explode. 

After two weeks of being away on a mission, Tetsuya is standing outside Seijuurou’ door, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Or more like, _their_ apartment. Except that he’s never really said the words before and he’s not sure if it will be okay or not. 

After they had landed on base, he had immediately left and gone straight to Seijuurou’s apartment, his room in the base not feeling familiar anymore and so he left. And now he’s here. And Seijuurou is inside most likely painting or reading a book and Tetsuya isn’t sure if this is okay or not. 

He takes a shuddering breath and knocks on the door, heart racing faster as he hears shuffling on the other side until the door opens to reveal Seijuurou’s face lighting up as he sees Tetsuya. 

“I’m home.” 

Seijuurou smiles so, _so_ bright and Tetsuya’s heart loosens. 

“Welcome home.” 

Later on, he finds a red key in his wallet. 

It was a key to _their_ apartment. 

And Tetsuya almost burst into tears.

Tetsuya was back at the base, training, checking his equipment and finishing reports when their superior summons them for an emergency mission. Almost all the operators available in the base were called in. 

A local university has been taken over by a terrorist group, four bombs and some civilians have been taken as hostage. 

Tetsuya’s heart sinks as he remembers Seijuurou telling him earlier that morning that he was accompanying Aomine to the local university because Aomine had apparently decided to go back and finish his degree. 

The university almost looked like a ghost town when they had arrived. Beyond the police line, it seems as if a hurricane had gone through and made a mess of everything. Tetsuya tries his best to not think of the fact that Seijuurou was inside the building as one of the hostages and thinks of the mission instead. 

With minimal casualties they had managed to defuse the bombs as fast as they could, all that was left were the hostages. 

And that was when everything went downhill. 

Tetsuya doesn’t really remember much.

Just that his team was on their way to the gymnasium where the hostages were being kept when a terrorist had caught sight of them and all of a sudden a suicide bomber had appeared out of nowhere and everything after that was chaos. 

He recalls seeing Seijuurou and Aomine along with a few other civilians surrounded by terrorists. Flashbangs going off and the distinct heavy breathing of several suicide bombers and the searing pain as a bullet hit his shoulder. 

He thinks of Seijuurou, of the red key always safely tucked in his wallet and of Seijuurou's words, telling him to come back safe. 

When he wakes up, Seijuurou is sitting beside him looking worse for wear. Their eyes meet and he sees the relief and happiness crashing like waves in Seijuurou’s eyes.

Seijuurou takes his hand kisses the back of it. 

“Hey. Welcome back.” 

Tetsuya looks at Seijuurou, with tears threatening to fall from his eyes and dishevelled red hair glowing like embers under fluorescent lights. 

“I’m home.” 

Later on, he tells Seijuurou about his family. About the fire that had taken away his beloved book and his family away from him. Of how the fire had burned down all of Tetsuya’s reason for living. Of how he had enlisted in the army, hoping that it would give Tetsuya’s life a reason to keep on going. Hoping that the army would provide his life with a strict set of rules to follow and would guide him while he felt like a paper boat lost in a raging storm. Hoping that by joining the army it would provide stability to his uncertain future. 

He tells Seijuurou of how much he loved his family and of how much the fire had crushed him. 

Seijuurou thanks him for telling him about his family, something that Tetsuya could never dare and tell Seijuurou for a long time. But now that he has, he feels lighter, as if a weight he wasn’t even aware that he was carrying had been lifted from his shoulders. 

When he falls back asleep he dreams of vanilla, old books and the smell of paint and he thinks that he’s home. 

It’s afternoon and they’re both lazying on the sofa, Lethal Weapon playing on the TV but they’re both not paying attention. He’s lying on top of Seijuurou and he can’t be bothered to move because Seijuurou is warm and he smells like vanilla, paint and old books and Tetsuya is certain that this is how home smells like. 

Seijuurou doesn’t seem to mind and instead his fingers is carding through his hair, soothing Tetsuya while the other one is tracing letters on Tetsuya’s back. He’s been doing it again and again, tracing the same letters again and again that always seem to end with a question mark. Maybe if Tetsuya wasn’t half asleep he would’ve figured it out faster but he is and so it takes him significantly longer. 

He glances up to Seijuurou a few times only to be met with a playful smile that ends with him huffing as he tries and concentrate on the movement of Seijuurou’s finger on his skin. And he thinks that this was unfair because he was also fending off sleep as he does this. But either way, he continues on trying until he realizes and he goes stiff in Seijuurou’s arms, the realization like a bucket of cold water poured over his head. 

Seijuurou is laughing now, making his chest vibrate and Tetsuya is staring at him with wide eyes, unable to fully believe what he had just deciphered. 

His heart bounces around his ribcage like crazy and he’s sure that Seijuurou could feel it. But Seijuurou just smiles, eyes so full of adoration. 

Tetsuya takes deep breathes, not to think but just for the sake of breathing. He doesn’t have to think of his answer, he knows what his answer is going to be no matter what. 

He smiles back at Seijuurou, his vision blurring at the edges. 

“Yes.” 

Seijuurou's smile brightens as he takes Tetsuya’s hand and puts a gold ring on Tetsuya’s finger. Tetsuya couldn’t almost breathe, his heart felt like it was seizing up. He looks at the ring on his finger, shining under the afternoon light and he feels the tears falling down his cheeks. 

Seijuurou takes his hand again and kisses the ring and Tetsuya sees that there are tears gathering at the edges of his eyes as well. 

“Thank you,” Seijuurou whispers, his voice thick with emotions. 

Tetsuya leans up and kisses Seijuurou slowly, sweetly. 

“I’m home.” 

Seijuurou’s tears finally fall as he smiles again and this time it reminds Tetsuya of the first time they met when Tetsuya wasn’t sure of where he was going and what was going to happen next. Now he thinks that he’s so glad that he had been so bored that day. 

“Welcome home.”

**Author's Note:**

> if u spot any mistakes please forgive me. I haven't slept yet. k bye imma go and die now


End file.
